China at present. Geographical location and borders of China
People's Republic of China
Square: 9.6 million sq. km
Administrative division: 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shanghai), special administrative regions (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan)
Capital: Beijing
Official language: Chinese
Currency unit: yuan
Population: 1.3 billion (2007)
Population density per sq. km: 137 people
Proportion of urban population: 28,6 %
Ethnic composition of the population: Chinese (Han) – approx. 95%, Hui, Uighurs, Manchus, Mongols, Tibetans, Koreans, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Salars, Dongxiang, Tu, Sibo, Itzu, Bai, Bui, Tujia, Hani, Lisu, Nasi, Lahu, Jingpo, Zhuang, Dong, Tai , Li, Miao-Yao, Gaoshan, etc.; just St. 50 nations
Religion: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, shamanism is also common; peoples of the Turkic group profess Islam
Basis of the economy: industry
Employment: in industry – approx. 48%; in the service sector - approx. 40%; in agriculture - approx. 12 %
GDP: USD 3.46 trillion (2007)
GDP per capita: 2660 USD
Form of government: unitarianism
Form of government: people's democratic dictatorship
Legislature: unicameral parliament
Head of State: Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Head of the government: Prime Minister of the State Council
Party structures: single-party system (in the presence of parties close to the CPC)
Fundamentals of government
After the formation of the People's Republic of China, four constitutions were in force in the country. The latter was adopted at the Fifth Session of the Fifth National People's Congress (NPC) on December 4, 1982.
The Basic Law of the People's Republic of China consists of a preamble, four chapters and one hundred and thirty-eight articles. The right to interpret the Constitution belongs to the Standing Committee of the NPC. He also has the right to revise the Constitution. Amendments to the Constitution are adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of all NPC deputies on the proposal of the NPC Standing Committee (in this case, the NPC retains the right to amend or cancel proposals made by the Standing Committee) or on the proposal of a fifth of the NPC deputies. The National People's Congress also monitors compliance with the Constitution. The current constitution has been changed four times.
In accordance with the Constitution, the PRC is a state of people's democratic dictatorship, led by the working class and based on an alliance of workers and peasants.
The head of state of the People's Republic of China is the President of the People's Republic of China, who is elected by the National People's Congress on the proposal of the Presidium of the NPC. Elections of the chairman are carried out through equal-member elections. Every citizen of the People's Republic of China who has reached forty-five years of age can apply for this post. The term of office of the Chairman of the People's Republic of China is five years, with one re-election allowed. The highest legislative body of state power in China is National People's Congress. NPC deputies (about 3,000 people) are elected from provinces, autonomous regions, centrally subordinate cities and the Armed Forces. Delegations are formed according to electoral units, each delegation nominates the head of the delegation and his deputy. As a rule, these are secretaries of party committees or chairmen of the Standing Committees of local People's Congresses and their closest assistants. The term of office of the NPC of each convocation is five years. Two months before the expiration of the term of office of the highest body of state power, the Standing Committee of the NPC holds elections of deputies of the next convocation. In extreme circumstances, it is possible to extend the term of office of the NPC and postpone elections, but on the condition that the corresponding decision is made by a two-thirds vote of all members of the NPC Standing Committee. Sessions of the National People's Congress are convened by the NPC Standing Committee once a year. At the discretion of the NPC Standing Committee or on the proposal of a majority of NPC deputies (at least a fifth), extraordinary sessions are held. The NPC elects the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the People's Republic of China. It also has the right to remove the chairman of the People's Republic of China and his deputy, as well as senior officials. According to an informal rule introduced by Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zedong's successor, the age limit for holding senior government positions in China is limited to seventy years. Before each session of the NPC, a preparatory meeting is held, during which the elected Presidium and head Secretariat this session. During the period between sessions of the NPC, the functions of the legislative body are performed by Standing Committee(PC) NPC. The composition of the NPC Standing Committee (a total of one hundred and fifty people, including the chairman, vice-chairmen and executive secretary) is determined at sessions of the NPC. Persons who are members of the Standing Committee of the NPC cannot work in state administrative bodies, judicial bodies and prosecutors. The Chairman of the PC and his deputies cannot hold office for more than two consecutive terms. The National People's Congress has the authority to create special commissions, the activities of which are also controlled by the Standing Committee of the NPC. Currently there are: a commission for legislative proposals, a commission for foreign affairs, a commission for internal affairs and justice, a financial and economic commission, a commission for agriculture and rural affairs, a commission for nationalities, a commission for the affairs of Chinese living abroad, a commission for Education, Science, Culture and Health, Commission for the Protection of the Environment and Resources. If necessary, commissions are created to investigate certain issues. The chairmen of the commissions are usually appointed vice-chairmen or members of the Standing Committee of the NPC. The Standing Committee of the NPC creates a special Credentials Commission, which is responsible for verifying the mandates of additionally elected deputies of the NPC of the current convocation and newly elected deputies of the NPC of the next convocation. Executive power belongs to State Council(GS) China. The State Council consists of the prime minister, deputy prime ministers, members of the State Council, ministers, chairmen of committees and commissions, the chief auditor and the head of the Secretariat. The candidacy of the prime minister is approved by deputies of the National People's Congress on the proposal of the chairman of the People's Republic of China. The candidacies of deputy prime ministers, members of the State Council, ministers, chairmen of committees and commissions, the chief auditor and the head of the State Council Secretariat are approved by deputies of the National People's Congress on the proposal of the Premier of the State Council, but the right to appoint and remove these persons, including the prime minister, belongs to the Chairman of the People's Republic of China. During the period between sessions of the NPC, candidacies for ministers, chairmen of committees and commissions and other officials are approved by the NPC Standing Committee on the proposal of the Prime Minister of the State Council. All members of the GC can hold office for no more than two consecutive terms. The term of office of the State Council is five years. The State Council has its own Standing advice.
Plays an important role in the political life of China People's Political Consultative Council(NPKS). The PPCC includes the ruling Communist Party of China, various democratic parties and public organizations, non-party democratic figures, representatives of various nationalities and social circles. In essence, this is the organization of the United Front of the Chinese people. Organizations and individuals included in the NPCC have the right to participate in the political life of the country, including consultation and democratic control over various bodies, through activities carried out directly by the NPCC. The governing body of the Advisory Council is All China CPP Committee, whose term of office between elections is five years, plenary sessions are convened once a year. To manage the affairs of the All-China Committee, it is organized Standing Committee. Special administrative regions that claim independence, and from another angle, independence from China, according to the law of the People's Republic of China, are administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. They do not exercise state sovereignty; foreign policy affairs of these regions are under the sole jurisdiction of the Central Government. Depending on the specific circumstances, the regime implemented in special administrative regions is approved by the National People's Congress. The head of the administration of a special administrative region is elected directly locally, but must be approved by the Central Government. At the same time, the head of the administration is the chairman of the government of the special administrative region. Legislative assemblies of special administrative regions are formed from Chinese citizens who permanently reside in the area and do not have the right to reside in other countries. Members of legislative bodies are elected. Elections can be either direct (all voters participate in them) or indirect (elections at the level of functional groups and election commissions). The term of office of legislative assemblies is four years. The legislative bodies of special administrative regions have the constitutional right to develop documents defining internal life, but these documents must be brought to the attention of the NPC and approved by it. If the NPC considers that any law developed by a special administrative region body does not comply with the spirit of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the document loses its force. At the same time, the legislative bodies of special administrative regions have the right to independently pass laws prohibiting any actions aimed at treason, splitting the country, inciting rebellion, undermining the Central Government, as well as theft of state secrets. In special administrative regions, political activities of foreign political organizations and groups are prohibited. At the same time, political organizations and groups in special administrative regions are prohibited from having connections with political organizations and groups abroad.
Judicial system
The central judicial organ of the People's Republic of China is Supreme People's Court, to which local people's courts, military people's courts, as well as specialized courts, such as seaport courts, are subordinate.
The Chairman of the Supreme People's Court and the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate are elected by deputies of the NPC. The vice-presidents of the Supreme People's Court, judges and members of the Judicial Panel of the Supreme People's Court, as well as the chairman of the Military Tribunal are appointed and removed from office by the Standing Committee of the NPC on the proposal of the chairman of the Supreme People's Court. The Supreme Court oversees the application of laws by lower courts.
People's courts at the lower and middle levels operate at the district level. People's courts at the highest level - in provinces, centrally-administered cities and autonomous regions. The heads of special administrative regions have the right to appoint and dismiss judges and civil servants of courts of various levels, grant amnesty or reduce punishment for criminal offenses, and consider petitions and appeals from citizens. Local courts are responsible to the local authorities that created them. Legal supervision is carried out by the authorities Supreme People's Procuratorate, which is responsible to the NPC and its Standing Committee. On the proposal of the Prosecutor General, the Standing Committee of the NPC appoints and dismisses deputy prosecutors general, prosecutors and members of the board of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, as well as the chief prosecutor of the Military Prosecutor's Office, and approves the appointment and removal of chief prosecutors of the people's procuratorates of provinces, autonomous regions and cities directly under the central government. Grass-roots people's procuratorates are formed by legislative bodies and their local standing committees.
Decisions on pardoning state criminals are made by the Standing Committee of the NPC. Pardon decrees are published by the Chairman of the People's Republic of China.
Leading political parties
Communist Party of China(CCP) is the only ruling party in China. It was created in 1921 against the background of the rise of the national liberation movement in the country. The First Congress of the CPC took place at the end of June - beginning of July 1921 in Shanghai. The Second Congress of the CPC (July 16–23, 1922) adopted the Party Charter and program Manifesto, which formulated the immediate task - the implementation of a democratic revolution in China. Since 1923, the CPC has acted as a united front with Kuomintang(lit. - national party), led by Sun Yat-sen, who in his revolutionary struggle adhered to three principles: nationalism, democracy and people's welfare. In April 1927, the cooperation agreement with the Kuomintang was broken on the initiative of Chiang Kai-shek, who carried out a military coup in the country and appointed himself president of the Kuomintang Republic. In 1949, after the formation of the People's Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek fled to the island of Taiwan, where he restored the Kuomintang regime. Since 1949, under the leadership of the CPC, the most important economic and socio-political reforms have been carried out in the country, aimed at a gradual transition to socialism.
The activities of the CPC are inextricably linked with the name of Mao Zedong, who from 1923 was a member of the CPC Central Committee, from 1933 - in the Politburo, from 1935 - in the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and in fact was the leader of the party. In 1969, Mao Zedong was declared the leader of the CCP for life, the father of all Chinese. In 1958, Mao put forward the adventurist course of the “three red banners” (the new “general line” of the party, the “great leap” in industry and agriculture, the organization of “people's communes”), which led the Chinese economy to a severe crisis. In 1966, to “prevent the danger of the capitalist threat,” a “cultural revolution” was launched under the leadership of the CPC, which was essentially an instrument of total purge of the party. After the death of Mao Tse-tung in 1976, China gradually began to move away from the “global ideas” of the communist leader. The architect of the Chinese reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, which made it possible to build a new China, was Deng Xiaoping, who was elected chairman of the CPC in 1975, but later, during Mao’s lifetime, was accused of initiating “counter-revolutionary unrest.”
Currently, the CPC continues to be guided in its activities by the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong and the economic theories of Deng Xiaoping, who was convinced that economic development can only be successful when it is directed by strong state power.
The CCP has official (elected through internal party elections) and unofficial (appointed by higher party organizations) organizations at all levels of government and in various areas of society.
The central governing bodies of the party are National Party Congress(convened once every five years) and elected by him Central Committee, which is responsible to the National Party Congress and reports to it on its work. The governing bodies of the CPC Central Committee include Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee And Secretariat of the Central Committee(Office of the Politburo of the Central Committee and its Standing Committee). The party is headed by the General Secretary. The party's central military leadership body is Central Military Council, approved by the Central Committee. Local party organizations operate at the grassroots level.
The work of the party is based on the principle of democratic centralism: each party member is subordinate to the party organization, the minority to the majority, lower organizations to higher ones, all party organizations and all party members to the National Congress of the CPC and the Central Committee.
There are other political parties in China that recognize the leadership role of the CPC and whose work is coordinated by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Participating parties in the political life of China are democratic organizations created before 1949, but which managed to maintain their organization after the formation of the PRC. These include Zhigongdang Party(created in October 1925 in the USA on the initiative of the public organization of Chinese emigrants - “Zhigong Zongtang”), Workers' and Peasants' Democratic Party of China(founded in August 1930), Democratic League of China(exists since 1939), Jusan Society(officially founded in May 1946), Taiwan Democratic Autonomy League(established on November 12, 1947 in Hong Kong), Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang of China(officially created January 1, 1948), Association for Democratic National Construction of China, Association for the Promotion of Democracy of China(both founded December 1945).
Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Since 2003 – Hu Jintao
Chairman of the State Council
Since 2003 – Wen Jiabao
We believe that all Chinese are Buddhists, which is not true. Tourists love to look at the magnificent Chinese pagodas, and this is probably where this association came from. Buddhism is indeed widespread in China, but Chinese philosophical and religious thought does not live by Buddhism alone.
Traditional Chinese ideology rests on the “three pillars” of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
Most Chinese are atheists. This is what official statistics say, and our observations fully confirm this idea.
The era of communism bore its fruits, and most of the population stopped believing in anything. But the way of thinking, ethics and norms of behavior of modern Chinese are formed by these three teachings. By the way, none of them can be recognized as a religion in the usual sense of the word.
Freedom in China
This country is considered one of the most unfree in the world. This happened in Chinese history, but now everything is changing. The modern Chinese does not feel any serious control, although in fact it exists.
On the other hand, there is much more freedom to realize oneself in China than in Russia. It’s much easier to open your own business there, it’s much easier to do your own thing on your own, rather than “working for someone else.” If you would like to work, the state will not interfere with you too much.
In China you cannot criticize the government on the internet. subject to strict censorship. But the authorities listen to what is happening and draw conclusions. Events took place, the Communist Party drew conclusions, and reforms began.
Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a former colony of the British Empire. Recently, it has officially become a province of the People's Republic of China. In essence, it is a separate state. The authorities in Beijing are responsible only for foreign policy, and all other administrative issues are decided by local authorities.
It has its own currency, its own laws, its own visa regime and tax law. Russian citizens can visit Hong Kong without a visa, and they can only enter the main territory of the country with a passport.
The tax system in Hong Kong is completely different - there is no VAT, and many things are 15-20% cheaper. If you want to buy an iPhone or iPad cheaply, then go to Hong Kong. Many Chinese come here to buy smartphones, tablet computers and laptops.
The city of Macau is similarly part of the PRC, and also has almost complete independence. It is a former colony of Portugal. It has its own laws, money and taxation.
Macau is a casino city; it is the Las Vegas of Asia. If a Chinese wants to play poker, blackjack or roulette, then they come here.
The situation on the island of Taiwan is more complicated. China officially considers it its territory and a province of the People's Republic of China. The Taiwanese disagree, and much of the world accepts their point of view.
Taiwan is a separate country. Everything is here, including the army and navy. This state is called the Republic of China (ROC), which translates as “Republic of China”. There are no negotiations on Taiwan's accession to the PRC.
Important advice for tourists. At Chinese airports, flights to Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan are referred to as “domestic” flights, and flights to these regions board from domestic flight terminals. Don't get confused.
We wish you a successful visit to China, and read our pages about this country ( links below).
About the country People's Republic of China (abbreviated as PRC or simply China) The capital of China. Beijing. Area of China km 2 Population of China. 1.3 billion people Location of China. China is a country located in Central and East Asia. Administrative divisions of China. China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 3 central cities. China's form of government. People's Republic. Head of State of China. Chairman of the People's Republic of China. Major cities in China. Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Shenyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Harbin. The official language of China. Chinese. about country
Geography China is located in East Asia. The area of China is 9.6 million km². China is the largest country in Asia and the third largest country in the world by area, behind only Russia and Canada. China is bordered by the East China Sea, Korea Gulf, Yellow Sea and South China Sea. The island of Taiwan is separated from the mainland by the Taiwan Strait. Time is 4 hours ahead of Moscow in summer and 5 hours in winter. The total length of China's land borders is km with 14 countries. In the north it borders with Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia, in the west with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, in the southwest with Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, in the south with Laos and Vietnam, and in the east with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . The coast of China stretches from the border with North Korea in the north to Vietnam in the south and is km long.
Three large regions are usually distinguished: the Tibetan Plateau with an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level is located in the southwest of the country; the belt of mountains and high plains has a height of m, located in the northern part; Low accumulative plains with an altitude of less than 200 m and low mountains in the northeast, east and the south of the country, where most of China's population lives. Relief
There are many rivers in China, the total length of which is km. The largest rivers are the Yellow River (Yellow River), Yangtze (Chan River), and Xi (Western River). China's rivers form internal and external systems. External rivers are those with access to the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans; their total drainage area covers about 64% of the country's territory. Inland rivers, the number of which is small, are significantly distant from each other and have become shallow in most areas. They flow into the lakes of the interior or are lost in deserts or salt marshes; their drainage area covers about 36% of the country's territory. There are many lakes in China, the total area they occupy is approximately sq. km. The most significant lakes are Kukunor, Dongtinghu, and Payanghu. There are also thousands of artificial lakes and reservoirs. Rivers and lakes
China's climate is very diverse, from subtropical in the south (Hainan Island) to temperate in the north (Heilongjiang Province of China). The temperature difference between these regions is large during the winter months, but the difference decreases in summer. In northern Heilongjiang, temperatures in January can drop to 30°C. The average July temperature in this area is 20 °C. In the southern parts of Guangdong, the average temperature ranges from 10 °C in January to 28 °C in July. Precipitation changes even more than temperature. On the southern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, numerous rains fall, the maximum of which occurs during the summer monsoons. The northwestern regions of the country are the driest; in the deserts located there (Taklamakan, Gobi, Ordos) there is practically no precipitation. The southern and eastern regions of China often suffer from destructive typhoons, as well as floods, monsoons, and tsunamis. Climate
Flora There are about about plant species in China. The most typical vegetation is larch, cedar, oak, linden, maple, walnut, laurel, camellia, magnolia. The mountains are covered with forests, which grow on 8% of China's territory. The Tibetan plateau has steppes and cold deserts; in the south there are dense tropical forests with palm trees and evergreen broadleaf trees. There are about 500 species of bamboo in China, forming 3% of the forests. Bamboo thickets, found in 18 provinces, are not only a habitat for many animals, but also a source of valuable raw materials. Their woody culms (stems) are widely used in industry.
In densely populated lowland areas there is little wildlife, with the exception of rodents, birds and a few ungulates, but in more inaccessible areas the fauna is quite rich. In China there are tiger, wolf, fox, kulan, goitered gazelle, camel, jerboa, squirrel, lynx, sable, leopard, hare, raccoon dog, tapir, rhinoceros, lemur, panda, monkeys, more than 1000 species of birds, and many snakes. Many animals living in China are rare, such as the giant panda, Chinese water deer, and some species of alligators. Fauna
In accordance with the Constitution, the People's Republic of China is a socialist state under the democratic dictatorship of the people. The highest body of government is the unicameral National People's Congress (NPC), consisting of 2,979 deputies elected by regional people's congresses for a period of 5 years. Chairman of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. This is a representative of the fourth generation of country leaders. The Central Military Council of the People's Republic of China and its leader play an important role in the Chinese political system. State-political structure
Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China The People's Republic of China exercises administrative control over 22 provinces; At the same time, the Chinese government considers Taiwan its 23rd province. In addition, the PRC also includes 5 autonomous regions where Chinese national minorities live; 4 municipalities corresponding to cities of central subordination, and 2 special administrative districts. 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 4 centrally-administered cities are united under the term "mainland China", which usually does not include Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Chongqing The largest in area of the four Chinese administrative divisions. Population 31.44 million (2005). The majority live outside the Chongqing urban area. Shanghai Total population - 18.58 million people. The city is located in front of the Yangtze River Delta. It is the largest seaport. Beijing Capital of the People's Republic of China. It borders Tianjin in the southeast. The population of Beijing is 15.38 million people (2005). It is the largest railway and road junction and one of the main air hubs in the country. In addition, Beijing is the political, educational and cultural center of the PRC. Big cities
The total population in the continental part of the country is 1.3 billion and is the largest in the world (about 22% of all inhabitants of the Earth). Ethnic composition. 93% Han (ethnic Chinese), there is a large ethnic group of Mongols, Zhuangs, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hui, Koreans, and Miao also live. To curb population growth, China adopted a policy of planned childbearing in 1979. The government's target is one child per family, with exceptions for ethnic minorities. Average life expectancy is 71 years. 36.22 percent of the Chinese population is urban and 63.78 percent rural. In recent decades, the percentage of urban population in China has been increasing annually. Population
As of 2010, the Chinese economy ranks second in the world in terms of nominal GDP. About 70% of GDP is provided by private enterprises. The presence of free economic zones played an important role in the development of China. Currently, there are 4 special economic zones (regions) in China: Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen, 14 free (duty-free) trade zones, 53 high and new technology zones, more than 70 scientific and technical zones for specialists educated abroad, 38 processing zones for export-oriented products. China already leads the world in production volume of over 100 types of products. China produces more than 50% of the world's cameras, 30% of air conditioners, 25% of washing machines and approximately 20% of refrigerators. In addition, according to customs statistics, China has been the number one exporter of textiles, clothing, shoes, watches, bicycles, sewing machines and other labor-intensive products for many years in a row. Oil consumption in China amounted to 300 million tons in 2005. China lacks a resource base, leading to a gradual increase in dependence on imports. Economy
Religion In addition to the three world religions of Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, China also has a unique traditional religious teaching, Taoism. In addition, some national minorities still retain primitive worship of the forces of nature and polytheism. Confucianism, which first gained influence in China, essentially became a code of individual subordination to society and his responsibility to it. During the Cultural Revolution, religion was banned in China.
Chinese culture is one of the most ancient and original in the world. Feng Shui This teaching is based on the ideas of cosmic energy qi. For example, the correct layout of a house and the location of doors affect the qi energy circulating in the room and, accordingly, the well-being of its inhabitants. Energy “qi” The Chinese believe that qi (energy, force) gave birth to space and the Earth and two principles, the “negative” and “positive” principles of yin and yang, which in turn gave birth to everything else (“the darkness of things”). The Chinese consider every physical change that occurs in the world to be the result of the action of qi. Calligraphy Calligraphy has elevated ordinary Chinese writing to the level of an artistic art form and is traditionally equated with painting and poetry as a method of self-expression. The individual style of the artist determines the thickness, bending angle of the lines and the dynamism imparted to the drawings. Kung Fu Chinese martial arts in the West are usually associated with kung fu, or gong fu. Gong Fu in Chinese means “skill” or “hard work” and can be used to describe the achievements of a wrestler, a calligrapher or a pianist. Culture
During the Bronze Age (BC), the Chinese learned to make high-temperature kilns, which allowed them to make stronger, sometimes glazed, pottery. Real porcelain appeared only in the Sui era. Finer than ceramic, true porcelain is smooth and polished. When you hit a piece of porcelain, it makes a sound. Thin porcelain appears transparent. Porcelain
Rice has always been of great importance to the Chinese both as a staple food product and as an industrial crop. It is believed that the tradition of rice cultivation in Southern China began around BC. e., although the method of constructing flooded fields, requiring large-scale irrigation work, reached perfection after thousands of years. Today, rice is grown almost everywhere in China. Chinese rice accounts for 35% of world production.
The Forbidden City, the Museum of the Chinese Revolution, the National Gallery, the Temple of Heaven, the tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors, many parks in Beijing. Art and History Museum, Natural Science Museum, Mandarin Yu Garden, Purple Autumn Cloud Garden, Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai. Guangzhou Museum, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Zhenhai Pagoda, Temple of the Six Fig Trees in Guangzhou and many others. The Great Wall of China (beginning of construction in the 4th and early 5th centuries BC) is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Sights of China
The Great Wall stretches 8851.8 km across all of Northern China. The construction of the wall began in the 4th century. BC e., as a defensive structure against the raids of the nomadic peoples of Central Asia. Construction work on the Great Wall was completed in the 3rd century. n. e. In the surviving parts, the wall is about 9 m wide at the base and about 6 m at the top, the height of the wall reaches 10 m. There are quadrangular watchtowers approximately every 200 m. the great Wall of China
In the very center of Beijing is the Imperial Palace, also known as the Forbidden City, since for 500 years of its history only the emperor and his family could live here, and courtiers, officials and everyone else lived outside its walls, and until 1925, mere mortals could enter was prohibited here. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1987. Built in the years, the residence of 24 Chinese emperors. Imperial Palace
Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and the “Terracotta Army” Located 35 km from the city of Xi’an, built in the years. BC e. for the first emperor of a unified China. The underground palace houses more than 400 burials, its area is more than sq. km. The main exhibit of the complex is the Terracotta Army. Three vaulted underground chambers contain figures of approximately 7,400 soldiers and horses and 90 war chariots of virtually the entire imperial army. The figures are made in full height, their height is 1.8 m, no two faces are identical.
Chinese cuisine Chinese cuisine has a very long history and is famous all over the world. Cuisine in China varies greatly from region to region, and the term “Chinese food” itself is a general term (exactly the same as “European food”). Most Europeans are familiar with only one of several regional varieties of Chinese cooking (namely Cantonese). In the south of the country, the main product is rice, while in the north it is wheat (mainly in the form of noodles).
In all of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), it is almost never customary to leave a tip. It is true that nowadays many expensive and even mid-range restaurants have begun to include service charges in their bills. However, with very good service, a waiter, a hotel maid or a luggage porter can be given a few yuan for their diligence. Tipping in China
China has different names in different languages. The article discusses the most used ones.
Central State - "Zhongguo"
Zhongguo(中國/中国) is the self-name of China. The first hieroglyph " jeon" (中) means "center" or "middle". Second sign " goo" (國 or 国) is interpreted as "country" or "state". Since the 19th century, in Western and domestic historiography, this name of China has been translated as “Middle State” or “Middle Empire”. However, this translation is not entirely correct, since the word “ zhongguo"has long designated the center of the Celestial Empire - the state of the Chinese emperor, that is, China itself. Accordingly, the exact translation is "Central Country" or "Central State".
The term " zhongguo" is not used consistently in Chinese history. It had varied cultural and political connotations depending on the era.
Prehistoric period
Archaeological finds show that ancient people of the species Homo erectus inhabited the territory of modern China between 2.24 million - 250 thousand years ago. In the Zhoukoudian area near Beijing, the remains of the so-called Sinanthropus were found, which date back to 550-300 thousand years ago. Sinanthropus knew how to make simple stone tools and make fire.
Approximately 70,000 years ago, new modern humans Homo sapiens populated the Chinese Plain, displacing Sinanthropus and their descendants. The earliest osteological evidence of the existence of modern people in China (human remains from the Liujiang site) dates back to the 67th millennium BC. e.
In modern historiography, the first dynasty of China was the Xia. Evidence of its existence comes from excavations of urban settlements and graves near Erlitou in Henan Province. However, most scientists in the world consider this dynasty to be mythical and not real.
The first historically reliable dynasty is considered to be the Shang Dynasty (another name for Yin), which controlled the territories of the Yellow River plain in Eastern China between the 18th and 12th centuries BC. e. It was destroyed by one of the Western vassal families, who founded the Zhou dynasty, which ruled from the 12th to the 5th century BC. e. The central power of the new dynasty weakened due to the increasing political and economic power of appanage rulers, who created in the middle of the 8th century BC. e. a number of formally independent states. From the 5th to the 2nd centuries BC. e. these states constantly fought among themselves, but in 221 BC. e. were united by Qin Shi Huang into a single empire. The new Qin dynasty lasted several decades, but it was the one that shaped China as an imperial entity.
The period of dominance of the Han Dynasty lasted from 206 BC. e. to 220 years. During this period, the formation of the Chinese as a single ethnic community began. After the disintegration of China in the 3rd-6th centuries due to attacks by nomads from the north, the empire was unified by the Sui dynasty in 580. 7th-14th centuries, the reign of the Tang and Song dynasties, are considered the “golden age” of China. It was during this period that most scientific discoveries and cultural achievements occurred. In 1271, the Mongol ruler Kublai Kublai declared the beginning of a new Yuan dynasty. In 1368, as a result of the anti-Mongol uprising, a new ethnically Chinese dynasty began, which ruled China until 1644. The last imperial dynasty was the Qing dynasty, which was started by the Manchu conquerors of China. She was overthrown by revolution in 1911.
Most Chinese regimes were authoritarian and often used harsh methods to ensure the stability of their power and the loyalty of the population. Thus, during the reign of the Manchu Qing dynasty, ethnic Han Chinese were forced to wear a long braid, like the Manchus, as a sign of loyalty to the new dynasty.
In the 18th century, technologically powerful China pursued an active policy of conquering the peoples of Central Asia, whom the Chinese had long considered “barbarians.” However, in the 19th century, he himself became a victim of the “barbarians of the West” - the colonial policies of Western Europe and the United States.
Republican China
Modernity
Although the government of the Republic of China has not renounced its claims to China, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia, it increasingly identifies itself as the government of the island of Taiwan. The political circles of the Republic of China are in a constant dialectical struggle regarding the issue of declaring the independence of the island. The PRC considers Taiwan an integral part of its state, and therefore is constantly trying to oust representatives of the Republic of China from various international organizations, increasing its isolation.
Today, 23 states, including the Vatican, continue to recognize the Republic of China as official China. In contrast, most governments around the world view the PRC as the legitimate representative of China.
Territory
Historical divisions of China
The highest level administrative units in China varied depending on the ruling dynasty or government. These units include, first of all, territories and provinces. Among the lower level units there were prefectures, subprefectures, departments, commands, counties and districts. Modern administrative units include cities at the subprefecture level, cities at the district level, populated areas and urban communities.
Most Chinese dynasties located their residence in the heart of China, its ethnically Chinese part - the Yellow River Valley. These dynasties expanded their possessions into the foreign territories of Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Xinjiang, Tibet, Vietnam and Korea. Although the last Manchu Qing dynasty, to which the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China consider themselves heirs, included most of the above-mentioned lands in China, China itself has certain ancient borders - the Great Wall of China in the north, the Tibetan Plateau in the west and the jungles of Indochina in the south.
In the east, along the coasts of the Yellow and East China Seas, there are alluvial plains that are densely populated. To the north, on the edge of the Inner Mongolia plateau, grassy steppe can be seen. The south of China is covered with hills and low mountains. The Yellow River and Yangtze deltas are located in the central-eastern part. Most of the arable land is located along these rivers. The southern province of Yunnan is part of the so-called "Greater Mekong" subregion, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
In western China, there is a large alluvial plain in the north, and a limestone plateau covered with medium-sized hills in the south. This part of China is home to the Himalayas, with the world's tallest mountain, Mount Everest. The northwest is covered by deserts such as the Taklamakan and the Gobi Desert, which are constantly expanding. For thousands of years, the mountains of Yunnan have served as a natural boundary that separates China from Burma, Laos and Vietnam.
China's climate is varied. The northern zone, which includes Beijing, is characterized by very cold winters. The central zone, which includes Shanghai, is temperate. The southern zone, which includes Guangzhou, has a subtropical climate.
Due to frequent droughts and poor management, dust or sand storms often occur in the spring. The wind carries the dust eastward, as far as Taiwan and Japan. Storms sometimes reach the West Coast of the United States. Water, soil erosion and pollution in China are growing from domestic Chinese problems to international ones.
Society
Demography
The population of China (PRC and the Republic of China) is over 1.3 billion people. This is one fifth of the total population of the Earth. Although there are more than 100 ethnic groups living in the PRC, the communist government recognizes only 56. The largest ethnic group in China are Han people(actually Chinese) - 91.9%. It is heterogeneous and is divided into a number of ethnographic groups, most of which are former self-sufficient ethnic groups assimilated by the Han Chinese.
Culture
Calligraphy Mifu ( Song Dynasty)
The events of the 19th-20th centuries forced the Chinese to think about the need to abandon or preserve their own civilizational model. Westerners promised China a “bright future” subject to total Westernization and used Japan as an example. The policy of introducing democracy into traditional Chinese society has failed - partly due to the authoritarian "tradition" of governance, and partly due to internal and external wars.
Chinese society preserved medieval traditions until the so-called " cultural revolution" Its goal was to reform the Chinese village, promote new communist values, and create a new advanced Chinese culture, “not limited by Confucian dogmas.” As a result of the “revolution,” many cultural figures were repressed, and most traditions were eliminated as “regressive practices” or “feudal relics.” The hieroglyphic writing was reformed, which made the texts of works written by their predecessors inaccessible to future generations. However, since the 1980s, the “cultural revolution” was stopped, and the communist government set a course for the formation of a “patriotic nation”, beginning the restoration of traditions.
In Taiwan, such cultural reforms were not carried out, respecting the traditions of writing and officialdom. A significant part of the budget of the Republic of China was spent on training specialists in the field of culture.
Writing system
Chinese characters have over 50 thousand characters. It changed and had different writing styles. The first signs appear on divination bones in the 2nd millennium BC. e. Calligraphy, the ability to beautifully write hieroglyphs, is considered the pinnacle of art in China. Most of the sacred texts of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are handwritten.
Printing has developed since the Song Dynasty. The academies of scholars who published and rewrote the classics were traditionally sponsored by the state. Members of the imperial family often took part in scientific councils.
Exams
One of the main features of traditional Chinese culture was government examinations. They contributed to the cultivation of an educated elite, since a candidate who was well versed in the classical texts, regardless of social background, was able to occupy the rank of official. The latter had a high socio-economic status. People of humanitarian pursuits - writers, philosophers, scientists - were “first-class” people in China. The state fully supported them.
The science
China's technological discoveries were as follows:
Other areas of knowledge.
China(Chinese 中国, Zhongguo, literally: “middle state”); official name - People's Republic of China(Chinese: 中华人民共和国, Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo), abbreviated as PRC, the largest country in the world by population (over 1.3 billion, the majority of the population are ethnic Chinese, self-identified as Han); ranks third in the world in terms of territory, behind Russia and Canada.
China - The People's Republic of China (PRC), a country with a rich history and extraordinary culture, is located in Central and Eastern Asia. The country's territory is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 centrally subordinate cities. Taiwan, which is actually an independent state, is also considered a province of China.
China can safely be called a country of contrasts. And this is not only because the country has seven climate zones at once, but also due to its variegated landscape. In the same country, megacities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing are located, and along with them, the Eden Gardens of Suzhou, popularly called the Chinese Venice, and Xi'an coexist peacefully. This is facilitated by the country’s original culture, which has been created century after century, gradually taking shape.
China is one of the largest countries in the world with an area of about 9.6 million square meters. m., which is 6.5% of the globe's area. In terms of size, it ranks third in the world among more than 160 countries, second only to Russia and Canada.
Capital
The capital of China is Beijing, which is now home to about 17.5 million people. Archaeologists claim that the city on the site of modern Beijing existed already in the 5th century. BC.
Official language of China
The official language in China is Chinese, which belongs to the Chinese branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
Religion
The dominant religions in China are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In addition, many Muslims and Christians live in China.
Chinese government
According to the current Constitution, China is a People's Republic. Its head is the President, who traditionally is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China.
Chinese Parliament - National People's Congress (2,979 deputies who are elected for 5 years by regional people's congresses).
Since the proclamation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the ruling party has been the Communist Party of China.
It is a great power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. One of the leading space powers in the world, it has nuclear weapons and the world's largest army in terms of military personnel.
Since December 2014, it has been the world's first economy by GDP (PPP). China is the world leader in automobile production and consumer demand for them. The world's largest exporter (“factory of the world”). It has the largest gold and foreign exchange reserves in the world.
China is a member of international organizations such as the UN, APEC, G20, World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as the SCO and BRICS.
Largest cities
China's population is not overly urbanized, but where large cities emerge, they often grow to incredible sizes.
The country's largest urban district lies in the Yangtze River Valley. Chongqing. The population of the district at the beginning of 2016 is almost 29 million inhabitants, it is a large industrial and agricultural center.
The largest city is Shanghai, which is home to 24 million residents, but the capital, Beijing, is home to 21 million citizens. A port of national importance is located in Shanghai, and administrative control is concentrated in Beijing.
Large cities also include Tianjin, Guangzhou and Harbin.
Chinese Parliament Building
Official name: People's Republic of China (PRC)
Form of government: people's democratic dictatorship
Head of State: Chairman of the People's Republic of China
Capital: Beijing
Language: Chinese
Territory: 9,598,962 sq. km.
Population: more than 1.3 billion people
Currency unit: yuan
Religion: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Islam
Climate: temperate, subtropical and tropical
Administrative division: The People's Republic of China has 34 administrative units at the provincial level, of which 4 are centrally subordinate cities, 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and two special administrative regions.
Big cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing
Telephone code: +86
Visa: visa entry
Movement: Right hand
National domain:CN
Voltage: 220v
Current frequency: 50 Hz
Socket type: Type A plugs and sockets, Type G plugs and sockets, Type I plugs and sockets
Time: 00:43 (UTC+0800)
State symbols of China
|
The current flag of China was adopted in 1949. with the founding of the People's Republic of China. The flag was designed by economist and talented artist Zeng Liansong. The red background of the Chinese flag features 5 golden stars, the red color here signifies communism, and the largest star signifies the leadership of the Communist Party. As for the other four small stars, there is no official interpretation of their meaning. The Chinese people believe that they symbolize the intelligentsia, the proletariat, the peasantry and the army, according to the second version - the main ethnic groups of China: Chinese, Tibetans, Manchus and Uyghurs. The arrangement of stars on the flag shows the great unity of different sectors of Chinese society under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. |
|
Coat of arms of China The national emblem depicts Tiananmen Square, illuminated by five yellow stars and surrounded by ears of wheat with a gear. The yellow and red colors of the coat of arms traditionally symbolize happiness and prosperity in China. Tiananmen symbolizes the spirit of the Chinese people in the struggle against feudalism and imperialism; ears of wheat and gear - the peasantry and the working class, respectively. Translated, the word "Tiananmen" means "Gate of Heavenly Peace." This gate symbolizes the ancient traditions of the Chinese people. |
|
The national anthem, "March of the Volunteers," was written in 1935. The words of the anthem were written by playwright Tian Han, the music was written by Nie Er, who is the founder of the Chinese new music movement. On September 27, 1949, the CPPCC session decided to adopt this song as the temporary National Anthem, and on December 4, 1982, the NPC decided to approve it as the official National Anthem. Russian translation: Get up, whoever does not want to become a slave! |
